Manufacture of butyl alcohol



Patented Apr. 21 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL VLERLING, OF L'UD'WIGSHAFEN-ON-THE-BHINE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOB TO I. G. FABBENINDUSTRIE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, OI FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN, GER- MANY, A CORPORATION OF GERMANY MANUFACTURE OF B'UTYL ALCOHOL No Drawing. Application filed December 3,

The present invention relates to the manufacture of butyl alcohol. 7

In the fermentation of corn by means-of bacteria belonging to the group of amylobacter'bacteria, a product is obtained which 10 bad yiel to 7 by means 7 always uni eluding air,

consists of 84 per cent of n-butyl alcohol and 16 per cent of isopropyl alcohol. If, in this process, molasses is. employed instead of the corn, ver irregular and, in many cases, very s of the said fermentatlon products are obtained.

I have now found that butyl alcohol can be obtained by a fermentation of molasses by p means of bacteria belonging to the group of amylobacter bacteria in a very advantageous manner by adding to the mash containing molasses which latter preferably have been subjected to a previous inversion, phosphates and solid and practically water-insoluble substances of natural orlgm containing protein. 'The said substances are for example pressed or dried yeast malt germs, wastes in the manufacture of preserved meat, or the like. By working in this manner very high-and orm yields can be obtained and a particular advantage of the present process consists in a considerable restriction of the time re uired for the fermentation. The ollowing example will further illustrate the nature of the said invention, but the invention is not restricted thereto.

Ewample 200 kilograms of crude molasses containing about 50 per cent of sugars are dispersed in 2.5 cubic meters of water, mixed with 10 ln'lograms of concentrated sulfuric acid and boiled for half an hour, whereupon 2.5 to 3 kilograms of solid malt germs are added-to the mixture, the hydrogen-ion concentration of which is then reduced to a value of H=6 of an addition of slake lime. 0.5 kilo ram of diammonium phosphate is then ad ed, whereupon the mash is sterilized,

38 centrigrade and inocucooled to 35 to lated with a highly activeculture of a bacterium of the group of amylobacter bacteria. After a fermentation of 48 hours while exare obtained containing 75 per cent of butyl 40 kilograms of an oily product.

1928, Serial No. 823,588, and in Germany December 27, 1927.

alcohol, about 16 per cent isopropyl alcohol and traces of acetone, but which product, in many cases, is completel free from acetone.

The bacterium employe was obtained from garden soil by repeated selective growing on a peptone, agar and grape sugar medium and is stained in the Gram test. It shows mobile cells in the form of rods of from 4 to 5 x 1.5 microns size, the oval sporangia bein usually attached near, or at, the end of t e rods and being sometimes of a size greater than that of the rods.

" ble substance of natural origin containing protein.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set KARL VIERLING;

"my hand. 

